Our Board
Charlie Rahiri
Chairperson
Ngāti Ranginui, Ngā Te Rangi, Ngāti Pāoa
Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Pango, Ngāi Tamarawaho, Ngāti Hangarau
Charlie is the second child of four and lives in Tauranga with his Wahine and three Children.
Charlie was born and bred in Tauranga Moana and was raised on the marae at Te Wairoa. He acknowledged this as his grounding in Te Ao Māori having been surrounded by Kaumatua from a very young age. He was nurtured on the Marae for roles on the Paepae, as an Āpotoro of the Ratana faith and in the kitchen and continues to serve our people through roles in his Marae and iwi.
In a professional capacity Charlie has had an extensive career in Iwi, NGO and the public sector with MSD, Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Arawhiti, more recently he spent time in Parliament as the Senior Political Advisor to Hon Nanaia Mahuta.
He is the current chair of Te Kupenga Hao o Ngāti Ranginui, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui and has governance roles on Tourism BOP as mana whenua rep and The Ministry of Foreign affairs Māori Partnership Group.
Jade Borell-Baber
Paparoa Representative
Raua Reihana
Hangarau Representative
Piripi Paraena
Tuapiro Representative
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Tuapiro te awa
Ko Takitimu ko Mataatua nga waka
Ko Ngati Ranginui te iwi
Ko Ngati Te Wai te Hapu
Ko Tuapiro te Marae
Piripi has a Diploma in Culinary arts.
Piripi is a Kaitiaki Kauri Protection for the Department of Conservation.
Piripi enjoys camping, fishing and hunting, when he has any spare time.
Suaree Borell
Deputy Chairperson
(Ngāti Ranginui, Maniapoto, and Samoan) has 15 years of experience as an independent kaupapa Māori research and evaluation consultant.
Suaree is currently Managing Director of Awa Associates and continues to promote Matauranga Māori informed dimensions of merit across all components of service development (from procurement, service content, design and delivery).
Suaree is the newly appointed Deputy Chair of the Ngāti Ranginui Iwi Society Incorporated and works as a contractor to various evaluation projects across Māori Public Health.
Suaree has 10 mokopuna from her 8 siblings and works to ensure future descendants are able to pursue dreams, conquer challenges and navigate to new islands on their horizon.
Alison Flavell
Waimapu Representative
Ko Waimapu te Marae
Ko Te Kaupapa Tawhito
Ko Te Reinui Ao nga whare karakia
Alison is a Social Worker and has found supporting nga whanau o Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pukenga me Ngati Rangi has been the highlight of her career. Alison has seven grown children, nineteen nga mokopuna. Alison enjoys whanau gatherings with her tamariki me nga mokopuna and also enjoys supporting her mokopuna with their sports and Kapahaka.
Professional background:
• Social Worker
I have found supporting nga whanau o Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Pukenga me Ngati Rangi has been the highlight of my career as a social worker.
Personal background: I have seven grown children, nineteen nga mokopuna and whangai moko kotiro (10yrs).
I enjoy whanau gatherings with my tamariki me nga mokopuna. I also enjoy supporting my moko kotiro with their sports and Kapahaka.
Des Tata
Huria Representative
Kia ora koutou katoa nga Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui
ko Des Tata ahau
Ko au te kanohi i runga i te poari o Ngāti Ranginui mo Ngai Tamarāwaho Hapū
As a long serving member of the Board and has a vast knowledge of the Iwi and its beginnings.
Des is a Historian specialising in the historic Whakapapa and Raupatu of his Hapū, Iwi, Waka and Rohe.
Noelene Tuhakaraina
Poututerangi Representative
Ko Mauao te maunga
Ko Tauranga te Moana
Ko Pirirakau te Hapū
Ko Poututerangi te Marae
Noelene has been a truck driver for 20 years.
Noelene is the proud Chairperson for Te Puna Waka Ama Club is an Ex Pirirakau Inc Board Member.
Noelene loves Waka Ama, Supporting Whānau in sporting pursuits.
Noelene has aways had a passion for Maara kai.
Ngarino Te Waati
Wairoa Representative
Ngāti Kahu, Ngati He, Ngā Potiki, Ngapeke Hapu affiliated, Nō Ngā Marae ō Te Wairoa, Maungatapu, Tamapahore me Whetuoterangi.
Ngarino also descends from Waikato Tainui, Ngati Te Ata Waiohua, Ngati Awa and Te Arawa.
His direct line from Te Wairoa hails from the Rahiri and Tokona pedagogy. My mother was raised in Te Kaimai by her grandparents Hera Rahiri and Tiaki Tutahi on our homestead (Kaimai Road).
Ngarino is the director and owner of Te Whare Āio, The establishment of a holistic wellbeing system that has many facets to Wairuatanga, Mana Mauri Motuhake and Tapu Atea Nui. Te Whare Āio is a national wide Wānanga practice that develops collective consciousness within Whānau, Hapu and Iwi frameworks.
Ngarino is also a cultural consultant and advisory to treaty partners that provides successful operations in Co-governance for both Māori and Pākeha alike.
Ngarino is passionate about cultural vitality, māori and universal astronomy, Te Ao Haka, Māori Weaponry and the creative Arts.
Joe Gardiner
Hairini Representative
Veronica Waiari
Tawhitinui Representative
Ko Mauao te Maunga
Ko Tauranga te Moana
Ko Takitimu te Waka
Ko Ngati Ranginui te Iwi
Ko Pirirakau te Hapu
Ko Tawhitinui te Marae
Ko Kahi te Wharenui
Ko Maka te Wharekai
Ko William “Wiri” Nicholas te Tangata
Veronica has been an Accountant for seven years and is has a (Major in Management and Accounting). Veronica loves staying fit and healthy with regular CrossFit/Exercise and Boxing classes and loves spending time with her tamariki and whānau.
Professional/Work background
• Accountant since 2015 working alongside Maori Trusts and a range of SME’s
• Bachelor in Business (Major in Accounting and Management)
Personal background
• Mama to 6 tamariki and 1 moko.
• Currently a tauira at Te Wananga o Aotearoa learning Te Reo, where my goal is to speak fluently.
• If I am not at mahi, studying or with my whānau, you can find me at Crossfit.
Jacqui Rolleston-Steed
Tutereinga Representative
Ko Mātaatua, Takitimu, Tainui me Te Arawa ngā waka. He uri ahau nō Tauranga Moana. Ko Ngāti Ranginui, ko Ngāi Te Rangi oku Iwi. He hononga aku Ngāti Kahu ki Tauranga, Ngāti Pūkenga ki Tauranga, me Ngāti Whakaue ki Rotorua. Ko Pirirakau tōku hapū. Ko Tutereinga tōku marae. Ko Rolleston tōku ingoa whānau.
Jacqui serves a Director with the Regional Public Service Commission (RPSC) – Waiariki, whose role is to strengthen regional system leadership by working to coordinate and align central government decision makers.
Personal background
- Ko Nassah Steed tōku hoa rangatira.
- Proud mama of a blended whānau that includes 6 tamariki and 3 son-in-laws.
- 6 beautiful moko who ignite my ‘Why’.
- I am passionate about Māori business and the Māori Economy. Fuelled with a desire to support Māori business, I am also the co-Director of Mana Taiao Events Management Limited who curate learning and networking opportunities to enable and build the capability and capacity for Pakihi Māori. In line with this, I have served as an active Board Member since 2010 for the Tauranga Māori Business Association.
- Currently studying a Masters of Indigenous Studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi, and planning to resume a thesis on the following kaupapa: “How post-colonial Māori Economic Economies is a parallel universe to orthodoxy economies; and how Māori trade is fundamental to a thriving Māori economy”.